Contact: Richard Vespucci
For Release: August 29, 2000

New Jersey Keeps Pace with Nation and Leads Tri-State Region in Performance
on SATs

EMBARGOED UNTIL NOON, TUESDAY, AUGUST 29

The average scores of New Jersey high school students taking the SAT
exams this year showed a three-point rise in mathematics, Commissioner
of Education David C. Hespe announced today.

The three-point increase, coupled with level performance on the verbal
section of the exam, means that New Jersey students posted the highest
scores in the tri-state region, according to results released by the College
Board, the organization that sponsors the test.

"I am impressed by our students performance this year,"
Governor Christie Whitman said. "We are continuing to close the gap
in our average scores compared with the national averages, which is truly
impressive, given that we are also increasing the number and percentage
of our students who take the test."

The percent of New Jersey high school graduates taking the SAT increased
from 80 percent to 81 percent, tying it with Connecticut for first in
the nation.

Commissioner Hespe praised local educators for providing encouragement
and motivation for so many students to take the SATs. "Teachers and
school administrators know that greater numbers of test-takers are likely
to lower the overall scores," he said. "Yet, each year they
demonstrate their commitment to broad student participation over selective
encouragement of a smaller group of high achievers.

"Like most other states, our main focus in New Jersey is to increase
student performance against our own carefully developed academic standards
in multiple grade levels and assessed through a criterion referenced state
test," the Commissioner explained. "However, I am pleased to
see that this years SAT results continue a trend of improvement
while providing opportunities for more students to demonstrate that they
are ready to continue their education after high school."

Since 1990, the average score on the mathematics exam has increased by
15 points  from 498 to 513, and is just one point less than the
national average. Ten points of that increase were achieved since 1995.
The gains in the verbal section of the test have been more modest, from
495 to 498 since 1990.

Commissioner Hespe noted that although some states have posted higher
averages than New Jersey, the state leads the tri-state region that includes
New York and Pennsylvania. New York average SAT scores are 506 math and
494 verbal. Pennsylvanias average scores are 497 math and 498 verbal.

There was more good news for New Jersey in the College Boards report,
as Garden State students taking advanced placement exams had an average
score of 3.26, the best in the region and second highest in the nation.
Advanced placement exams are given to students who take college-level
courses while attending high school.

In 2000, 24,997 students took advanced placement tests, a 4.7 percent
increase from last year. Those students took 43,376 exams, a 6.2 percent
increase from 1999, with 72 percent of the exams earning a passing grade
for college-level credit.